Fandom, nostalgia and parkas: Oasis’ reunion is a masterclass in teaser marketing
We all thought it would never happen but it has: Liam and Noel Gallagher are reuniting Oasis in 2025. Annie Marendaz, performance director - programmatic and social at The Media Store, explains why the news is a masterclass in teaser marketing.
It’s been a strong few weeks for meme culture and Britpop playlists on Spotify since Oasis announced its reunion tour. As we see fandom and nostalgia trends bubble to the surface again it’s also been a great exercise in teaser marketing, ’90s style resurgence and the principles of scarcity.
The Gallagher brothers have fiercely denied any possibility of a reunion for years, with Liam quoted in 2019 as saying: “Oasis is done. If you missed them, that’s f*cking tough luck.”
The announcement of their reunion tour has changed all that and sent fans into a frenzy.
Rumours, teasers and well-timed announcements
Rumours have been bubbling for months, with both Liam and Noel hinting at a possible end to their feud and a potential reconciliation. At the Reading Festival in August this year, Liam dedicated the song, Half the World Away, to “Noel fucking Gallagher”. In a recent interview, Noel remarked: “I can’t sing Slide Away, Cigarettes & Alcohol, Rock ‘N’ Roll Star, and Columbia the same way. I mean, I can do it, but it’s not the same. It’s the delivery, the tone of his voice, and the attitude. I don’t have the same attitude as him.”
The public display of affection between the brothers suggested that something significant was happening.
Then, on Sunday, August 25, a teaser video was posted across Oasis’s social media channels, highlighting the date 27.08.24. Liam also tweeted, “I never did like the word FORMER.” On Tuesday, August 27, the band officially announced a UK tour with the following tweet: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”
To top it off, this tour announcement coincided with the 30th anniversary of their debut album, Definitely Maybe. This taps into the nostalgic value (a trend we’re seeing a lot in 2024) and leverages their existing fan base.
Urgency, scarcity and demand
Tour dates have only been announced in the UK and Ireland. It’s not a global tour and it’s therefore creating a sense of limited supply. Supply and demand is a tried and tested strategy, but this approach also speaks to national pride and cultural relevance with a UK focus. When tickets went on sale on August 31, more than 10 million fans queued on the Ticketmaster site from 158 countries. There was global excitement.
Oasis is also leaning into its volatile past, with fans feeling the rush to see them before they break up again.
Signature style and creative strategies
At Oasis’s peak, Liam Gallagher epitomised the quintessential ’90s lad with his signature style and this is continues to attract younger audiences. Since July, when rumors of a reunion began swirling, Pinterest has seen a 97% increase in searches for parkas, a 105% increase for Gazelle Adidas, and a 25% increase for Britpop aesthetics. Liam’s presence on X (formerly Twitter) has also allowed him to showcase his attitude and personality to millennials and Gen Z, who weren’t around to experience his unique brand of northern sass in the mid-90s.
The band has kept the buzz alive for its upcoming tour by engaging fans in a trivia challenge – asking them to identify the original drummer when signing up for the presale. This led to more than 1 million searches within 24 hours.
Staying close to their ‘don’t care’ brand
With UK dates selling out in record time (amidst some controversy over dynamic ticket pricing), the band has now teased an American tour. This was highlighted by a billboard in Times Square, sponsored by Amazon Music, that read: “If we need to put up a billboard to get these guys to come to the States, here it is.”
In a music market where artists try so hard to be different and often end up the same, Oasis is adept at leaning into their zero fucks branding. If they stick true to their brand, they won’t even make it to the US tour with inevitable break ups due before then, making the UK tour even more valuable.
The Oasis reunion has seen some welcomed positivity in a music scene that has struggled here in Australia over the past year, with countless music festivals now on hiatus or cancelled, including Splendour In The Grass, Bluesfest and Falls Festival. And while we won’t hold out any hope for Australia to be included in the tour, the engagement and appetite shows music still sells to engaged fanbases.
Annie Marendaz is performance director – programmatic and social at The Media Store.
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